CATs Results???

[prettyone]

Can anyone please explain how the CAT test results work? What is the expected result for the average Y7 child? Thanks

[bossboggle]

If it is anything like my ds' school the school don't release the CAT results as it is internal and only used along side the other things like SAT's and teacher assessments etc to make sure that your child is in the correct teaching stream - it gives the school a good all round idea as to what your child is capapble of unlike the SATS which concentrate on maths, science and english. You may ask the school how your child did in their cats, if you do then they may ask that you keep the results to yourself and not give them to your child. I was given access to my son's cats but I never revealed the results to him as I was asked not to as none of the children knew how they had done - they were simply streamed in the correct pathway for them. My son was in the top 3 percent of his year group but he never knew about it.

[bossboggle]

If you get access to them it does give you more of an idea as to how far up or down the scale they are.

[prettyone]

Hi bossboggle,
I do have his results, but have no idea how far up or down the scale he is! I dont know what is the 'average' score is.

[bruffin]

Dc's year 7 Cats results are on the eschool website for parents and child to see, but they are not explained.

From what I can gather 100 is average

3rd link down Cats website has a bell curve

[camptownraces]

Bruffin is right. 100 is the average.

Above 115 is "above average" - the top 16% of pupils of that age
Below 85 is "below average" - the bottom 16% of pupils of that age.

So 68% of scores are said to be within the average band, ie between 85 and 115.

[prettyone]

Thanks camptownraces and boffin.

[ibizagirl]

Hello. My daughter is on g and t and her cat score was off the scale (200 i think it was or something like that). When she got to year 5 i was advised (i am a single parent) to try and get her into private education. No-one wanted her as her primary school was not already private! Snobbery all round. This cat test is to assess for sets i think as my daughter had it last year in year 7 but i don't think she has to do them now in year 8.

[yotty]

I think CAT scores need to be taken with a pinch of salt. My DS's overall score is average, but his verbal reasoning is well above average. In the real world of school, he is a child who achieves very well at school and is being earmarked as scholarship material. Despite his CAT score being nothing really exceptional, he is an avid reader and has a very enquiring mind. There are other children in his year group whose score was considerably higher than his, yet do not really shine academically as they have no interest in school work. It seems to me that you can have the sort of brain that can work out puzzles very quickly but that does not necessarily equate to exam results. I would like to think that the CAT score is only really good at identifying children who are under achieving. My DS according to his CAT scores appears to be overachieving, if that is possible.

[CarrotsAreNotTheOnlyVegetables]

ibizagirl - in my area LOADS of DCs go to private secondaries from state primaries - even at some of the most competitive, 75% of the intake are from state.

I'm therefore surprised that schools in your area rejected your DD purely for being from a state school - i would think that a school like that would narrow it's possible intake so much that it would quickly close!

[ibizagirl]

I know what you mean. But when i rang the one school (we have three private) the woman i spoke to was almost alarmed that when i said dd was at certain primary. Its not rough or anything just normal. I mentioned what it said on web that if child is aiming for level 5 at end of year 6 (my dd had that in year 4) that she should take the entry test but woman not interested. I then said what if she took the test and got 99% would she be accepted and that is when she said "no the children who are already at a fee paying school get first admission" even if they get low scores. Its because dd would have to have a bursary and that i think is the reason. Was told she could take the test if she wanted just to see how she gets on! Didn't bother. Dd doing well at school and on level 7's and 8's now in year 8 and seems happy so that is fine by me. x x

[CarrotsAreNotTheOnlyVegetables]

That is bizarre, ibizagirl, and thankfully their attitude is not widely held. What did the other two private schools have to say?

Maybe their finances are in a mess and they are just grabbing any fees they can get - would indicate they are not very popular and not very good so best to steer clear anyway.

The best academic schools would be falling over themselves to offer a place to a DC like yours.

Glad she is doing well and i agree that this is what is important and that she doesn't need the help of a private school.

Make sure she is putting in that Oxbridge application when the time comes (if they do the course she wants, of course) as they definitely do NOT share the views of this appalling school and are actively trying to attract applications from DCs just like your DD.

[ibizagirl]

Sorry i havent replied earlier but i broke this laptop and had to have a new screen. Thank you for your kind words. The private school i mentioned is a good school and always has 100% for results and the other two i didn't even bother with in fear of getting same reply. They are good schools too but we are not bothered about it now but at the time dd and i were really angry. x x